I'm with you on that one, people are always asking me why I didn't build a bigger studio and I tell them it would be just as full. Denice

Dear All,

I think in many ways it is like having a big house. While I dream of an even bigger studio in the same way I would love a bigger house--who would clean it?? And then there is the repeated organization we all do in trying to utilize the space we have. Perhaps having it smaller is best. I work on the premiss of get it done and get it out and living somewhere else to keep on top of collecting to much stuff. It helps.

Know that if there was a service in my town that offered studio cleaning once per week for a really cheap rate, I would be the first one at the door. While I try to be really meticulous in my cleaning, it seems it could always be a little better. I like working in an area where my lungs do not have the potential to be overly exposed to dry clay. Even though I wet mop regularly, dry clay is still in our studio environment. And maybe more windows in the studio would be helpful as well. And a hepa filter overhead.

I am a young one in this crowd, being only 27, but I will say even now I look back and would have things different. I found my love for clay in highschool but wasted a lot of time in college not being focused. I would definitely have changed that. I didnt have the best of professors my first go around in college (she was a crazy alcoholic) and if I would have known the other Ceramics Prof was amazing I would have ensured I was in her class. I would change the amount of time I spent outside the glaze room and from monitoring firings. I cant imagine how much more advanced I would be right now if I would of had focus the past ten years. Yet I will say that even though Im not where I would want to be experience wise in ceramics I am kinda thankful for my past. Ive always been a dabbler and even though my focus sucked I still had great curiosity to try new things and if I actually was focused on clay I would probably have never dabbled in wood working, metallurgy, silk screening, painting etc. Now I enjoy having many avenues of creativity, not a master of any, but still feel I have the talent required to take them on.